Naturopaths are educated on the basic sciences and complementary and alternative treatment modalities, focusing on “body, mind and spirit,” according to the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges. Naturopaths also focus on “the body’s natural ability to heal itself,” the association’s website says.
Postgraduate training is neither common nor required of graduates of naturopathic schools, except in Utah, which requires one year. Some naturopathic students may choose to shadow or practice with an experienced naturopath before setting up their own practice, while others may choose residencies. Medical literature indicates that less than 10% of naturopaths participate in an approved residency, and such residencies last only a year and lack a high degree of standardization.
Unlike the standards for family medicine residencies, the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education standards for naturopathic residencies do not require that naturopathic residents treat patients across the lifespan, with any particular health condition, or in different health care settings—including hospitalized patients.
Compare this with physicians—either doctors of medicine (MDs) or doctors of osteopathy (DOs)—who complete four years of medical school where they get a comprehensive education rooted in evidence-based medicine. This is followed by a minimum of three and as many as seven years of residency. In addition, whereas naturopaths are required to get at least 1,200 hours of direct patient contact, physicians get 12,000–16,000 hours of clinical training—at least 10 times more than that minimum.
Even the most highly educated naturopaths get only a fraction of the training that physicians get. Lawmakers should therefore exercise extreme caution when considering legislation that would expand the scope of practice for naturopaths.
Naturopaths are leaders in a field that profit from the use of “natural ” therapies, and the sales of such treatments in health food stores are huge.
Some practitioners of “alternative medicine” also go by other names: “holistic” and “complimentary”. And some MD’s have adopted naturopathic methods.
Blogfinger. This discussion reminds me of the debate about chiropractors. Many patients swear by DC’s, especially in the area of orthopedic complaints. And some of them surround themselves with devices that are applied and provide heat, ultrasound, vibrations etc, and the faint scent of quackery pervades all that.
And DC’s make a wide variety of claims in treating many medical problems, but what is the evidence? Physicians are trained to follow “evidence based” practices.
As an MD, I am suspicious of chiropractic practices. They often seem like glorified physical therapists to me. But when patients tell me that they are seeing a DC or other “alternative” practitioners, I would question them as to what therapies they are receiving to make sure that no harm is being done. For example, high dose Vitamin C, folic acid, Vitamin D and calcium can cause trouble.
I saw a patient who died at the hands of a chiropractor. He came into the hospital with back pain and shock. He was bleeding internally and that day he had received an aggressive “adjustment” by a DC who didn’t find out that the patient was on blood thinners. Those of us who saw the patient connected all that and suspected a death due to the adjustment.
In our book “Prevention Does Work: A Guide to a Healthy Heart” Eileen and I (click on “about” above) emphasize nutrition and we discuss vitamins and other supplements. Click on the book below to read the small print. The book was devised to help patients understand medical terminology, prevention issues, and nutritional concepts in maintaining cardiovascular health.
It is still available in paperback. Just go to B & N and type in Paul Goldfinger, MD. It’s about $12.95.
